50watts McIntosh vs. 125 watts Emotiva

[The Dude]

So recently I sold my Emotiva UPA-5, which I had hooked to my Khorns. Since I had the McIntosh MC2505 just laying around, I thought I would utilize it and use it for my 2 channel rig. I don't know if it is the fact that it is just something different but the McIntosh sounds so much better. Ok I know its not apples to apples but dam it sounds good. Another quick question, on the Emotiva it didn't have gain knobs, so I figure it was running at 125 at all times. The Mc2505 has gain knobs but are only up 1/2 way does this mean I am running only at 25 watts a channel instead of the full 50. So I guess the post should read 25 watts of MC vs 125 watts of Emo. This puts meaning to trying different amps and now I can see how people are never satisfied, if one amp can sound so much better maybe a different one will. Only time will tell but can't wait to having some extra money to try all sorts of candy.

[seti]

I'd rather have the 50 wartts of McIntosh.

[Guest David H]

Ok I know its not apples to apples but dam it sounds good. Another quick question, on the Emotiva it didn't have gain knobs, so I figure it was running at 125 at all times. The Mc2505 has gain knobs but are only up 1/2 way does this mean I am running only at 25 watts a channel instead of the full 50.

Not at all.

The Mac may achieve full output power at 1v input, wherer the Emotiva might require 3v to achieve full power.

Because the Mac has gain controls on the input, I suspect its input section is sensitive enough to be used with a passive preamp.

Dave

[The Dude]

Ok I know its not apples to apples but dam it sounds good. Another quick question, on the Emotiva it didn't have gain knobs, so I figure it was running at 125 at all times. The Mc2505 has gain knobs but are only up 1/2 way does this mean I am running only at 25 watts a channel instead of the full 50.

Sorry Dave I never picked up on my dad's metaphors.

[The Dude]

Scratch that last comment, yours is now showing up funny how it wasn't at that time.

[The Dude]

Ok I know its not apples to apples but dam it sounds good. Another quick question, on the Emotiva it didn't have gain knobs, so I figure it was running at 125 at all times. The Mc2505 has gain knobs but are only up 1/2 way does this mean I am running only at 25 watts a channel instead of the full 50.

Not at all.

The Mac may achieve full output power at 1v input, wherer the Emotiva might require 3v to achieve full power.

Dave

But that does make perfectly good since.

[Guest David H]

I just looked both of them up, the input sensitivity on the MC2505 is .5v and the Emotiva is 1.1v.

I am sure the MC2505 sounds great. Then again I am partial to Mcintosh.

Dave

[moray james]

what do these units weigh compared to one another? That talks volumes to me. But your ear has to make the final decission. Do it just listen and decide based upon that. You have never likely ever run 50 watts (continous) into your speakers it would cause er problems for you if you had if you get my drift. Most of your listening is done at a fraction of a single watt the rest 2 - 6 watts and bass peaks might take instant bursts of as much as 50 watts but continous input is only ever a tiny amount of what you amp is actually capable of. There will always be a better everything forget it and take things as the come to you If you like the mac go with it as it is going to be worth a fortune if the Itallians screw up. Best regards Moray James.

the most powerful sounding amp I have ever heard running high effiency spekaers was a SE 2A3 set up to do a 1/2 watt per mono block (Serious Stereo) simply stunning. Only about 10K a pair at the time.

[Marvel]

the most powerful sounding amp I have ever heard running high effiency spekaers was a SE 2A3 set up to do a 1/2 watt per mono block (Serious Stereo) simply stunning.

Don't openTHAT can of worms again... []

Bruce

[willland]

So I guess the post should read 25 watts of MC vs 125 watts of Emo.

With the Klipschorns, 50w McI any day over 125w Emo.

Bill

[pzannucci]

I have been very impressed with the XPA-2 for the money and it is said to sound much better than the UPA series.

The 2505 has multiple taps for output (transformers?). How much does that affect the frequency response when hooking up a load such as the k-horn with it's wild impedance curves, especially in the mids?

[juniper8]

what do these units weigh compared to one another? That talks volumes to me. But your ear has to make the final decission. Do it just listen and decide based upon that. You have never likely ever run 50 watts (continous) into your speakers it would cause er problems for you if you had if you get my drift. Most of your listening is done at a fraction of a single watt the rest 2 - 6 watts and bass peaks might take instant bursts of as much as 50 watts but continous input is only ever a tiny amount of what you amp is actually capable of. There will always be a better everything forget it and take things as the come to you If you like the mac go with it as it is going to be worth a fortune if the Itallians screw up. Best regards Moray James.

the most powerful sounding amp I have ever heard running high effiency spekaers was a SE 2A3 set up to do a 1/2 watt per mono block (Serious Stereo) simply stunning. Only about 10K a pair at the time.

Mr. James, what speakers did you hear with these amps? Just curious....

[The Dude]

the most powerful sounding amp I have ever heard running high effiency spekaers was a SE 2A3 set up to do a 1/2 watt per mono block (Serious Stereo) simply stunning.

Don't openTHAT can of worms again...

Bruce

This is something I set out to try eventually, as there are alot of things I would like to try and will only take them as they come as my pockets are empty most of the time.

[The Dude]

I have been very impressed with the XPA-2 for the money and it is said to sound much better than the UPA series.

The 2505 has multiple taps for output (transformers?). How much does that affect the frequency response when hooking up a load such as the k-horn with it's wild impedance curves, especially in the mids?

As of right now I am using the 8 ohm taps.

[Marvel]

This is something I set out to try eventually, as there are alot of things I would like to try and will only take them as they come as my pockets are empty most of the time.

I have heard LaScalas on different SS and tube amps. They all sounded great, and I could switch back to SS on mine, but I really, really like my 2A3 amps. I can drive the LS to levels I am not comfortable listening to, but at my more common levels, these have sounded the best to ME. Emphasis on ME...

Would love to have some MC30s or perhaps some Quad II amps. All out of my price range. Still have my ST70 rebuild going on... for a few years now, lol.

The right thing will come along for you to try. If you lived close to me, I would be happy for you to come over for a listen.

Bruce

[Fish]

I agree I doubt you used more than a few watts cont. Are these amps similar in price when new ? Why would you use an Emo amp with a Mc just laying around? 50 great watts beats a thousand good watts with Klipsch. Last, you would think all good amps sound very similar, some really don't.

[tigerwoodKhorns]

Some amps are voiced differently (a little). Out of the Klipsch realm (meaning with 90 db speakers) Bryson amps, being from a pro background, tend to be very flat (meaning frequency response), and Classe are known to be slightly rolled off on top and a little bump in the bass.

Older Krell amps (late 80's) use to have boosted treble and bass.

This is all slight, but noticable. May be what you hear. Then again maybe not.

[moray james]

This was a number of years back at the Rocky mountain Audio Fest the year that Terry Cain died. It was mostly at the large room Terry had that year and he had organized an ultra high end amp shootout. Some ultra cool craftsmanship like Electroluv and a good number of other higher performance custom designed amplifires. speakers in that room were Terry's with his new subs. I also got to go up to the BD Designs room and listen to the Serious Stereo amp on the then new BD horn speakers. I imagine that the Serious Stereo amps will easily do the typical 3 - 3.5 wats of any other 2A3 amp peak output. There were a good number of 300B amps a couple of 45's and others. I think I have a soft spot for the 2A3 myself. Given a high efficiency loudspeaker the Serious Stereo mono blocks are the most powerful and controlled sounding amps I have ever heard. I have yet to hear a better amp. Best regards Moray James.

PS: here is a 1.6 watt mono block (one of a pair) designed by SET12 of this forum to run La Scala at real levels.I would truly love to hear these amplifires.

[Guest David H]

Still have my ST70 rebuild going on... for a few years now, lol.

That need to get finished, another great sounding amp.

Dave

[Marvel]

Still have my ST70 rebuild going on... for a few years now, lol.

That need to get finished, another great sounding amp.

Dave

This is the second rebuild... I bought the amp from a friend in the early '70s (for $50), and used the original tubes up into the early '90s. I put in a Curcio driver board and power supply board. It was ok, but I don't know if it was really that much of an improvement over the original. I first fired it up with the Merlin preamp.

Got a VTA70 board to replace the Curcio board. The construction is much better. I picked the low gain version. I have most of the parts, but just haven't sat down to do the work. Thinking of setting it up with some 6L6 outputs, but may go ahead and do it straight first.

Bruce